


Kerosene Reigns

by Nocturned



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Burnish Culture, Burnplay, Canon-Typical Violence, Choking, Emotional Manipulation, Enemies to Lovers, Feral Behavior, Fighting Kink, Jealousy, Love Bites, M/M, Marking, Oblivious Galo, Predator/Prey Dynamics, Restraints, Rough Body Play, Scared but Horny, Shapeshifting, Temperature Play, rough love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:08:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21667945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocturned/pseuds/Nocturned
Summary: In a botched attempt to capitalize on the rare opportunity of a high ranking Mad Burnish on it's own, Galo doesn't realize what exactly he's getting himself into. When a fight goes wildly wrong, the firefighter is faced with new questions about the creatures that Burning Rescue pursues so relentlessly.Alternatively, Galo doesn't have a clue what Burnish mating behavior looks like nor should he- but he's on the receiving end of one's advances anyways.
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 26
Kudos: 288





	1. Cold Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> This is a completely self indulgent take on if the Burnish were a bit more bestial than their human counterparts, and how that would effect their behavior, developed culture, and how humanity in turn responded to all that. Not at all canon compliant, this is just for fun~

Beneath a world-ending threat, Galo supposed he should be feeling a rush of terror, seizing pain as he met his end- anything that would match the tone of the brutal scuffle that had brought him to the ground. His chest heaved, mouth agonizingly dry as the toned man couldn’t so much as twitch a muscle to escape his foe’s uncompromising grip. Each clawed finger had encircled his bare wrists, and Galo could feel the blazing hellfire under the thick armor, the barrier serving to be his only protection from the blistering heat beneath the obsidian suit. He had been beaten. Only narrowly, but this was a defeat- yet the dread that ran through him wasn’t concerning his demise, but the fact that he had lost. It held an unknown connotation that he couldn’t speak to, the way his sore body shivered and tensed as the masked helm tilted as if it was assessing him. 

He had gone in alone. Thinking he had the drop on a prime Burnish target, it seemed like a fantastic idea at the time. Now, after a long and horrible scuffle, he was on a rooftop, no backup, no protective gear, and sure as hell was lacking luck since his enemy had him supine flat on his back. 

He couldn’t tear his eyes off the fanged maw that hung directly above, the gleaming white teeth made all the more apparent set against the abyssal hide. The sound of hissing steam reached Galo’s ears before he saw it escaping between the jagged fangs, then finally felt the scorching cloud against his bare skin. Refusing to flinch, the man gritted his teeth and faced his opponent- refusing to shrink back against the burning onslaught. The sound it made was similar to a rattling exhale, something deep in its chest whirring before the steam stopped...and it inhaled instead. The sharp rush of air could be felt, and Galo could swear the limited oxygen that only filled a minuscule portion of his lungs rushed out in turn as the figure pressed it’s head closer. 

Where the armor ended and organic flesh began, Galo had no clue. The biology of the Burnish wasn’t common knowledge, and Mad Burnish specimens were...well. Not apprehended. That led to no field briefings in regards to dealing with the rare beings other than avoiding getting singed to hell and back. He swore the hands that enriched his wrist had a certain of fleshly give, but the claws that capped off each finger were wickedly sharp- weapons in their own right. It’s movements now seemed all too slow, agonizingly so after their break-neck pace exchange of blows.

The anticipation was strange. He was expecting to be turned to ash or snapped in two but his stomach still twisted with the adrenaline of combat, each inch of his body throbbing in time with an erratic pulse that refused to settle. As if Galo had voiced his concern out loud, the helmed head pressed against his neck and nosing against his carotid artery. His heart rate leaped as the blistering heat made contact, the slow sound of air passing through the front of the ‘mask’ as it inhaled all the more apparent as it settled itself right underneath his ear. 

Galo‘s face reddened, a growing sheen of sweat building on his brow. The sheer heat that radiated from the form that had him pinned was steadily causing his body temperature to rise, a heated fever that made his eyelids droop heavily as he panted for air. The Mad Burnish’s advanced didn’t stop, clawed fingers digging into his wrists as it pressed more of its weight downward. The barrel of the other’s chest pressed against his, the torrid temperature at it’s worst when the Burnish was flush against him. 

A low, trilling click that he felt before he heard made Galo stiffen, realizing what he had assumed to be a mere mask had opened ever so slightly, a glowing phosphorus green tongue darting out only to flick at the air before vanishing behind massive teeth. Every muscle froze, a primordial response to the instinctual knowledge that this was something so much more than an extraordinarily capable fighter in armor, it was a living breathing being that was so much more. 

It wasn’t a huge surprise there were no available records on Burnish and their behaviors if there was ever a dolt out in the world who thought studying the Burnish was a good idea they probably were a smoking pile of cinders and ash somewhere. Galo couldn’t even begin to put words to what was happening, the strange encounter indescribable in more ways than one. Maybe he hit his head during the fight, and he was just having strange and colorful visions of Burnish before he blacked out. No, that couldn’t be it, because the weight of the other was all too real, and if it was a mere dream, it was far too vivid for his tastes. 

As Galo’s cluttered thoughts spiraled in a brief moment of mentally spacing out, the Burnish seemed to become aware his attention had wandered elsewhere- and a sharp pain came without warning. It was like taping into a live wire, Galo’s limbs convulsing as untapped energy rushed through every inch of his body as his vision whited out. It had bitten him- it was STILL biting him, powerful jaws clamping down on his throat. The teeth had pierced his skin, each incision painful yet mercifully shallow. Galo waited with bated breath for the Burnish’s jaws to spring shut and put a bloody end to its opponent, anticipating the end to come at any moment. Instead, the Burnish held still, the only movement was the jittering of its claws that Galo distantly noticed had moved from his wrists to his exposed shoulders. The distinct scent of burned flesh wafted from the new contact point, melding with the growing odor of blood and sweat.

The Burnish wasn’t hesitating, but it didn’t move to finish him off either. Galo didn’t take any time to puzzle out what the other was thinking, not when a newfound wellspring of adrenaline forced his sore and beaten body into action. Throwing his toned arms around the Burnish’s lithe midsection, securing a grip on the figure above him. The sudden action caught the other off guard, it’s jaws slackening and releasing Galo from its covetous grip. Refusing to waste an opening, he kicked his legs underneath him and used the support to launch forward. Using his full weight to hurtle into the surprised Burnish while also keeping his forearms locked around its waist, Galo hurtled to the ground with the other now trapped beneath him. 

The impact was rough, both sliding out across cracked pavement but Galo’s hold ensured their positions had been swapped, the Burnish threat now pinned beneath him in a pseudo-hold-embrace that pinned it’s limbs to its sides. Galo could feel the temperature in the atmosphere dramatically shift, the air growing unbearably arid. The sleek figure underneath him was the epicenter of the sweltering waves of heat, and if Galo hadn’t accrued an impressive number of burns up until now, well. He was making up for it now all at once. Physical restraint was not a sanctioned apprehension technique, but the spur of the moment reaction didn’t account for the protocol drilled into his head, or for a Burnish’s ability of spontaneously combusting. Shit.

The Mad Burnish had been playing with him before, it’s mute coyness only another element of its pleasure batting him around and dragging out what would otherwise be painful, but albeit quick end. Now it was seething, the arced elegant horns losing shape as wicked flame erupted from its helm as the heat somehow ratcheted up several notches. Expecting the entirety of its body to be wreathed in flame, and his by extension- Galo didn’t brace himself to be drowned in embers. Instead, he let out a bellowing cry and bore down on the figure, hands seizing the exposed throat of the Burnish. It was all too familiar to the bite that the Burnish had given him, a cruel and uncompromising grip that refused to waver. 

“You can burn me to bits but I’m not going to let you forget who I am!” He shouted, blinking away any evidence of tears as his gloves burned away and his palms were seared next. “I fought with everything I have- can you say the same?” Galo snarled, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. He could feel every bruise and cut throb in time with his frantic pulse, the bite most prominent of all. The sensation muddled his senses, his neck set aflame with pain and...something else. A building sensation had slowly risen within him, the embers of it only further stoked throughout the encounter. It laid unaddressed under the pain, the fear, and ultimately shame of losing, inoffensively nestled deep within in his chest. “You...” he growled, but he lacked the presence of mind to bring the accusation to any form of conclusion. He didn’t know what to do.

His hands slipped. Galo’s white knuckles gently rested on the neck of the figure he had fought, and so desperately cursed mere moments before. His thumbs were still pressed into the divot of the Burnish’s throat, but there was no pressure behind the lingering touch. As his hands slid away from where his grip had initially been, Galo noticed that the perfect umbral crystal plating that made up the Burnish’s exoskeleton had taken on a milky white shade. The marred portion was the shape of his hands, the strange coloration some form of bruising that had begun to form. 

“I could burn you.” The sudden interjection or another’s  
voice nearly startled Galo out of his skin. Reflexively jolting away, deadly talons enrapt his thighs and stilled him. “To bits, even...” the distorted voice continued, as soft as the wind whistling through trees but with an air of taciturn wisdom that left no room for opposition, only compromise. Galo attempted to jerk away once more, but the Burnish’s claws had sunk into the tissue of his upper legs. No blood had been drawn, but the deadly points were felt and the warmth that transferred through ten sharp digits made their presence known. “And yet, I would not forget you.” The Burnish concluded, sounding oddly somber and yet somehow pleased with the admission.

Galo was still straddling the Mad Burnish, but he felt equally powerless, rendered unable to speak as he absorbed the other’s words. It sent an odd streak of errant panic through him, a wild sensation that made Galo unintentionally squirm in place. Abruptly a rumbling vibration was first felt in his thighs, Galo paling as the sensation traveled further to...other, less convenient places. His mind stalled, but quickly filled in that the source was not himself, thankfully- but the Burnish. The man refused to fully shy away from the sensation, mentally providing the entirely logical reason that it would give his opponent a chance to retaliate and pin him once more.

“That’s nice.” Galo spat sarcastically, nose scrunched with displeasure. His mind was still playing catch up, the weak response prodding the Burnish to...laugh? The rolling vibrations emitting from its chest doubled as the other laughed, a soft sound that lit with an unnatural echo. 

“I suppose it is-“ The Mad Burnish retorted back with a sickeningly sweet tone, head tilting again as if it was studying Galo. Its claws were still resting on his thighs, and he found himself staring down at the polished onyx of its hands. This had to be the most words he had ever exchanged with a Burnish. Apprehension and prevention was the extent of his position, there was usually nothing more than him barking threats that never were replied to. Even then Burnish that were caught and brought in stayed fiercely silent, making Galo question if they did rely on verbal communication like the field notes reported. 

“Well, good. Because I’m not forgetting this either.” Galo snarked back, eyebrows knitting tight. Calling this getting ‘sidetracked’ was a massive understatement, and he wasn’t going to let his target distract him either longer. With one hand still on the Burnish’s chest, his other slipped away to one of the large pockets on his outer thigh. Normal restraints did little to nothing on the fiery creatures, and typically the emergency response unit suits launched the modified cuffs but... Galo prided himself in always being prepared, and his backup set was finally going to be put to use. 

“Oh?” The other replied softly, the raging heat surrounding both of them quelling for a moment. It was like emerging from the heart of the desert, Galo took a greedy breath of fresh air relishing every second of oxygen that wasn’t scorching hot all the way down. His hand had settled on the detainment unit, the solid material already cold without even being activated yet. The restraints could drop a Burnish’s body heat to debilitating lows, wherein producing flames would be impossible to sustain. It was a routine part of capturing them- like muzzling hostile dogs, at least that’s what Kray always likened it to. A safety precaution for the good of both parties, no one got hurt. 

‘No one gets hurt…’ Galo forced the mantra to echo in his mind, trying to usher himself along faster into the next step. As he closed his hands fully around one of the cuffs, the deep chill soothed his burned palms and he released a shuddering sigh. It wasn’t borne of relief, but the growing hesitation that made his limbs feel frozen and faulty. Galo’s expression must have been painted clearly across his face because the Burnish’s hands released his thighs and slid up his waist, then resettling on his hipbones. The gesture was gentle, lacking any urgency as if it were perfectly normal and unreasonably familiar. Arms outstretched, the Mad Burnish didn’t seem as dangerous, or deadly as Galo knew their kind to be. 

Galo’s muscles tensed for a moment, damage and soreness that scored his body be damned. He was stronger than pain, he would rise above it for the good of humanity. He had to, and he had a wide-open shot- he wouldn’t miss it. Planting one foot firmly on the ground to brace himself, Galo grabbed the Mad Burnish’s wrists in one hand, clapping the restraint device closed in quick succession. The sudden rush of icy air as the cuffs activated made Galo flinch back, using a free hand to shield his eyes. He could hear the air crackle before condensing, the substance secreted by the activated restraints causing the air surrounding it to freeze over. 

All of Galo’s sight and senses were obscured by the flurry that formed, hanging like a dense fog bank. Even still on top of the newly captured Burnish, the mist was so thick he could not see the figure before him. For half a heartbeat, the man thought he had succeeded. A sudden flash of light was the only preliminary sign that something was gravely wrong before Galo had the sheerly instinctual sense to leap backward.

The otherworldly shriek that followed would be enough to send a man to his knees, but the blast of hellish heat forced Galo to stumble another five paces back on shaking legs that barely held him up. The surging heat tripled as previously restrained Mad Burnish ignited, a full furry of its flames erupting in a massive column that shot into the heavens. The silhouette of the Mad Burnish was standing upright, powerful body backlit by swirling magenta flames. The chains hung uselessly from its wrists, the restraint broke in two- shit…the device must have been damaged before he had activated it. 

The Burnish swung their right arm in a sweeping gesture, a giant arch of flame leaping into the palm of their outstretched hand. There was no cover to dive behind, not that Galo was thinking much beyond a sting of frantic profanities as he kept stumbling back. Wreathed in the fire, the Mad Burnish advanced on him- for each move Galo made was mirrored by the other. His failsafe had failed, his radio comms were trashed with the rest of the emergency response suit, this was going to be it. 

The Burnish craned its head up to the heavens and let out another bellowing cry, it’s flames swallowing it completely as it melded into the element it controlled. The flames twisted and expanded, licking at the horizon as if it sought to consume the night sky that hung above it Galo stepped back one more time before the figure could take a new shape. His foot met nothing but the empty air- he had stepped back over the edge of the roof.

Galo plummeted.


	2. Warm Cinders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galo's battle with the Mad Burnish has consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops this is going to be longer than two chapters, buckle up-

In the blistering heat caused by the near volcanic blast the enraged Mad Burnish created, Galo was certain the wall of fire would kill him before he could go splat on the pavement hundreds of feet below. The extrinsic force from the explosion shattered multiple panes of glass along the building, shards splintering into a crystal shower that rained over Galo as he hurtled downwards. The thick material of his jacket flapped as the man’s fall continued, nearly slipping free from his body. He would open his mouth to scream, to yell for help if he possibly could- but the air was ripped from his lungs. 

Dead, he was already dead- the increasing panic that wracked Galo’s body was spurred on by the lack of oxygen. His thoughts spiraled further as the speed of descent picked up, the ground getting terrifyingly closer by the second. A morose thought crossed his mind- would he even feel the impact? Would Galo even have a moment to register the pain of his body splintering apart before it was too late? Emotions overtaking him, the doomed man allowed his limbs to splay out and go limp. 

Letting his eyes slide closed, Galo decided he wouldn’t waste any more time worrying. He exhaled softly, the sound lost upon the roaring of the wind that whipped past him. His body felt cold- but maybe that was just the absence of the blistering heat he had been exposed to before his fall. The chill made him numb, pliable to accepting his mind drifting away. Galo’s burned and battered body was blissfully disconnected from his cognizant mind, the haze of pain slipping away. Nothing. He’d feel nothing.

At least, that is what he told himself before a blazing grip seized his wrist, followed by another encircled his waist. The pain was unbelievable, first the sensation of his flesh igniting consumed his entire conciseness was blotted out by the pain. The initial pain of a concentrated portion of Galo’s arm being set alight was quickly eclipsed by his fall abruptly stopping, namely by the ironclad grip around him. The arm that hooked around his lower back did little to stop the muscles in his shoulders from pulling taunt before the sinew gave way. Galo found his lungs were indeed in functional order as a scream tore from his throat, the cry paired with the grotesque sound of his shoulder muscles tearing from the socket. The pain slammed down on Galo with the force of a tidal wave, sending his vision swirling in vibrant blurry swatches of distant colors. 

He was no longer plummeting, hanging suspended by a limp and useless arm. Staring up through bleary eyes, Galo desperately tried to will his vision into clarity. He could only faintly make out the blurred edges of a silhouette, but the stars above seemed to swing through the sky behind the figure as his sight spiraled into indeclinable hues again. Every breath was fresh molten hot torment, his chest shuddering one final time before exhaling the remaining air from in lungs and his vision faded to a ceaseless black expanse. Galo could have sworn he felt claws dig into the skin of his back but the sensation was quickly tuned out, joining the blur of the full-body hurt that engulfed him. The onset of unconscious took him with no resistance, as easily as he fell from above before he was caught. 

The last thing Galo could make out was the distant, hazy glimmering of twin stars far above. Feeling leagues away, he felt oddly compelled to lift his good arm to reach for them. The broken man fell into the abyss before he could even recognize the celestial bodies were no stars, but a pair of eyes.

-Δ-Δ-Δ-Δ-Δ-

When Galo first awoke, it wasn’t all at once. It was lumbering and slow like he was dragging pieces of his mind up from the depths of unconscious one by one. Every fragment of his senses and thoughts seemed to lag behind the last, leaving him to stare at a white ceiling as he attempted to gather his wits. The thick mental haze that blanketed his brain refused to fully dispel, but he was feeling marginally more aware after what felt like at least half an hour of blinking and flickering his gaze about the room he currently was in. He was laid out on his back, body aligned slightly elevated on an adjustable bed. It didn’t take much to piece together he was in a hospital room, the stark walls and limited decor being the first thing Galo’s slowed mind noticed first, followed by actually noticing the IV saline drip hooked into his left hand along with a heart monitor pulse oximeter clipped to his pointer finger. 

Managing to only slightly tilt his head to the side, Galo took in the fact that his right arm was fully set in a cast, the skin from his solar plexus to the tips of fingers wrapped tightly. The sight would have shocked him if the obvious presence of heavy pain killers didn’t dull every sense- what would have provoked a loud reaction from him only elicited a soft, closed mouth grunt of distress. The foggy memories of falling trickled in, bringing a grimace to Galo’s lips. Not exactly his brightest moment, facing a powerful Burnish one on one. Even though the buffer of medication to lessen the pain, he knew his body had taken a brutal thrashing. 

The burns were the least of his worries, as there were numerous treatments and salves to counteract nasty burns and prevent scarring that had become commercial after the first appearance of the Burnish. The danger of unwittingly being close to a Burnish that had not manifested its powers was a common hazard that health care professionals had started taking into account, highly potent burn cream was as easy and cheap as buying over the counter medication. It wasn’t a cure-all, but it definitely made recovery far easier after being scorched to cinders. What did concern Galo was the dead weight of his right shoulder, the heavy muscle entirely numb. The locally injected anesthetic was probably the cause if he were to guess. Maybe it was broken… Galo was considering poking at the heavily restrained limb with his other arm before the shuttering sound of a door being wrenched open cut the action short. 

“See! Not dead!” A voice cut through the quiet room, the grating tone making Galo’s face scrunch up. Yeah, …he was definitely awake now. Lucia Fex had crossed the span of the floor in two strides, dragging a rather rattled looking Ania behind her. “My tech mods don’t quit! Galo has me to thank for not being fried to a crisp!” Lucia continued to yammer, gesturing to him with a proud, crooked smile. Ania just shook her head, pulling free from Fex’s grip to stand at the side of Galo’s bed. 

Relief swept over Ania’s face, her furrowed brow easing as her eyes swept over him. Galo would shrug and smile sheepishly if his body wasn’t numbed to nothing, so he settled on simply spitting out the obvious. “I’m fine.” He assured, but his voice came out tapered and airy. Trying to ease himself up into sitting position, Galo’s left arm strained to push his weight upwards but failed to help all that much. Sinking into the pillows stuffed against the headboard with an overdramatic groan, head falling back in theatric dismay. “No, alas, I am truly- dead…” he used his good arm to clutch his chest, eyes rolling back in his head as he feigned passing. The man even bothered to stick his tongue out for good measure before going limp. Galo admittedly felt embarrassed that he couldn’t even sit up properly yet, and it was easier to joke at his own expense than admit how close he truly had come to losing his life.

A quick swat to one of his thighs made Galo jolt, breaking the small pity party up in quick succession. “Quit it! I went to all this trouble telling everyone you’re fine and now you’re gonna play possum on me!” Fex yelled, her body practically vibrating with every word she spat.

“Oh, ‘scuse me,” Galo batted his eyelashes, putting on a look of innocence. “Didn’t think you were the worrying type, but I can see you got really worked up over it.” He rubbed his thigh, the sting of the quick slap fading. “I know you always saw me as an older brother, but I could have never imagined how distraught you’d be.” Galo snarked, feeling justified in playfully getting under the scientist’s skin. 

Burning indignation flashed across Fex’s face, the shorter woman winding up to shriek a rebuttal in Galo’s face before Aina interjected. “She was.” He was shocked that Alina’s gentle voice had a tone of accusation to it. That shocked Galo into silence, and his dumbstruck face was more than enough to make Aina’s expression ease slightly. “We all were.” She continued, sitting on the edge of the hospital bed. 

Guilt twisted in Galo’s stomach as he watched Aina inhale deeply to compose herself, while Lucia huffed and glanced away. Aina gently took his hand in both of hers, bringing the prickling beginnings of feeling back to his numb fingertips. “When the communication line dropped and the last piece of data we had was the suit’s reading of a massive uptick in Burnish activity we thought...” Aina tried to explain, but stopped and squeezed Galo’s hand tightly. Swallowing thickly he tried to conjure words of comfort to mind but the fog still clung to every thought, and Galo remained speechless. 

“We assumed the worst, okay?” Lucia butted back in, still looking at the wall. Galo would have found her insistent need to be part of the conversation more entertaining, but the dour mood that had settled over the room made it difficult to find the humor in it. 

“But I’m still here, in one piece...Sorta.” Galo weakly argued, trying to quell what clearly had weighed heavily on both of his teammates. 

Aina’s gaze turned down to his body once more, looking over the bandaged expanse of both forearms, neck, and whatever damage was covered by the bedsheets. “If your gear, or...what remained of it didn’t broadcast a location before it went offline we wouldn’t have found you.” She admits softly. Galo narrows his eyes, trying to focus on the last moments he could recall before he had slipped into unconsciousness. He didn’t have his gear, not in his final clash with the Burnish. It had all been torn to bits before he had even started pursuing the entity that was isolated on the rooftop. 

“How did you find me?” The injured man presses, managing to prop himself fully this time. Both of his visitors balked at him, respective looks of disbelief and confusion painted clearly across their faces. Both were silent as if they were puzzling out just how to answer his urgent question but neither have a quick response to dispel his sudden panic. 

“I know you’ve got a grand total of zero common sense but are you losing your hearing too?” Fex finally speaks up, breaking the lapse of silence. “We found you because the fragments of MY tech still strapped to you flagged your location on the GPS before going offline, cus you broke all of it!” The smaller woman shrieks, swinging her fists at Galo. The attack was half-hearted, her balled up hands only making a light impact with his good shoulder for the scientist slumped over in a dejected heap. “So much equipment lost…” Fex moaned into her hands, shaking her head. “What we COULD salvage is scrap metal, Galo! I’d have it taken out of your paycheck but Ignis wouldn’t hear me out!” Fex ranted, springing to her feet to pace as she spoke in an impassioned frenzy. 

Aina rolled her eyes at the display, turning her attention back to Galo as the other still was pacing circles about the hospital room. “It’s like Lucia said,” Aina weakly offered, unsure of how to ease Galo. “You were pulled out from under a collapsed pillar and a whole lot of concrete, it was a miracle you weren’t crushed under the debris…” she stressed every word, trying to get through to her friend and team-mate. “The fact we managed to find you under all that wreckage was…” Aina’s expression fell, unsure of what else to say.

“Oh…” Galo found the word escaped him without thought. He nodded, soaking in the information but something stuck with him. Even with his senses muffled by however many rounds of pain killers that had been pumped into his veins he knew that there was something that didn’t add up within Fex and Aina’s story. His thoughts refused to settle, but it was more than obvious that him vehemently objecting to an event he wasn’t even awake to fully remember was just going to drive their conversation in circles.

“Well, don’t get me wrong, I am glad you guys found me.” Galo beamed, smile warm despite the soreness that crept over his torso. The two women exchanged glances, seemingly taken aback that he receded so quickly. 

Aina was about to say something in response, but before she could even muster a single word Lucia made a strangled sound that cut off the other. Her shocked face was illuminated by the display of her phone and her mouth started running before she could even assemble her thoughts fully. Whatever string of sounds escaped the shorter woman, Galo could not catch what she was trying to say. Ania didn’t seem to be privy to what the panicked shrill squeaking meant either, making Galo feel marginally better than his state of consciousness wasn’t as altered as he felt it to be. 

Fex hooked her arm around the crook of Aina’s, hauling her to the door, not unlike the way she had initially entered. Aina cast an apologetic look over her shoulder to Galo but allowed her grabby colleague to lead the way. “Nice seeing you in one piece Galo- can’t say for sure if you’ll still be after your next visitor, bye!!!” Fex shouted after ushering Aina out, peeking her head through the door frame before the door slammed shut. It rattled on its hinges for a moment, leaving Galo once again in solitude. 

Allowing himself to sink back onto the bed, Galo allowed his limbs to ease out slightly as he tried to find a comfortable position. His legs seemed to be the least damaged, the muscles sore but compliant as he stretched. It was his torso and shoulders that twinged with pain, refusing to relax fully. His right shoulder and arm were limp, heavy and sore with a deep ache that cut through the medication. Galo cringed, trying to settle back into the wall of pillows without further irritating his injuries. Easier said than done, but after some readjusting himself he found an angle that didn’t set off any of his aches and pains.

In the short lapse of peaceful silence, Galo had almost dozed off by the time a sharp but courteous knock rapt at the door. The sound started him awake, Lucia had mentioned something about another visitor. Raising himself into a sitting position, Galo waited for the visitor to enter. When the door didn’t immediately open he called, “Uh…You can come in.” At his bidding, the door creaked open.

Kray Foresight was the last person Galo was expecting to see come through the open doorway, but it did explain away Fex’s startled reaction earlier. She must have gotten word to clear out in advance…Kray wasn’t the sort to appear completely unannounced. His presence drew Galo’s undivided attention, the urge to stand and salute- a rather ridiculous thought- flashed through his mind. As if the other could see right through him, Kray’s radiant smile proceeded equally warm words. 

“At ease, Thymos. You’re supposed to be resting up, no need to look so rigid.” Kray assured, stepping into the room and languidly strolling to his bedside. Galo couldn’t quite swallow around the dense formation that had lodged itself in the hollow of his throat, finding the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end as the man approached. Kray was a hero, an important figurehead- Galo getting into trouble didn’t quite warrant a drop-by visit. A warm hand settled on his shoulder, the rush of heat racing through his entire body and rising in his cheeks. 

Somehow Kray’s smile only grew wider, and Galo felt all the more self-conscious of his flushed and hazy expression. “I have you to thank-” The imposing man continued, but all Galo could focus was the creeping heat that Kray’s fingers provided. “If it weren’t for you taking initiative with the counterattack on the Mad Burnish threat, we would have assuredly seen far more activity.” Galo was ready to accept the praise, he was starved for a genuinely kind word from such a notable figure he had always secretly looked up to-

“Sir…” Galo weakly protested, eyebrows knit together in confusion.

Kray’s million-watt smile didn’t diminish for a single moment, not even as he corrected Galo, “Just Kray is fine, no need to be overly formal.”

Galo nodded before continuing after a moment of mulling over the request. “ Kray, I don’t quite get what you mean? I threw myself at a souped-up Burnish and I didn’t exactly come out on top…It was just stupid, really.” He tried to explain, not sure why Kray was painting this as some glorious victory. Galo had acted rashly and almost died in the process. It wasn’t like he single handily dismantled the terrorist cell comprised of Burnish by wrestling with one of them. 

The other man tilted his head with his lips pursed into a gentle line as if he was the one mystified. “But Galo, since your heroic act Burnish attacks have dramatically declined in the area,” Kray explained, hand squeezing Galo’s shoulder. “The Mad Burnish have not made any recorded moves since your stand against them. We must remain vigilant, but thanks to your act of heroism we have been granted an upper hand.” The proud smile reclaimed Kray’s face. Galo felt guilt twist inside of him once more. He didn’t deserve praise, none of this.

“I fought a Burnish one on one and almost got mauled to death-” he gestured to the heavy bandaging around his neck, the skin completely obscured by the thick application. “If that somehow sent them into hiding, that’s great but I just don’t get why.” Galo tried to explain. 

That was when the atmosphere in the room changed drastically. Galo’s spine went rigid when Kray’s warm hand slipped from his shoulder to his collar bone before settling on the base of his neck. The pad of the Governor’s thumb settled right where the bandaging began. 

“It bit you?” Kray asked, voice clinical and flat. It lacked the joyous lit that permeated his speech, and Galo squirmed in mild discomfort. 

“Yeah…Think I’d rather be set on fire twenty times than go through that again…” Galo lamely joked, trying to ease the sudden tension even a fraction. Kray leaned in closer, and the familiar sensation of the hot breath at his neck made Galo’s skin race with a chill that raced throughout his entire body. The lack of response did nothing for Galo’s nerves, and he weakly added “I’m not gonna go all Burnish under the light of the full moon right? It’s not a virus, it’s a mutation.” The attempt at dispelling the tension with humor was not met with any response, and Galo felt like an idiot for trying to make light of the situation when Kray lingered closer for a bit longer.

When Kray pulled away, Galo exhaled as relief washed over him. The other’s scrutinous assessment was intense, to say the least. “No, you have nothing to be worried about,” Kray assured, also removing his hand from Galo’s neck. “In most instances, Burnish utilize their fire to dispatch threats,” He explained while he soothed out his perfect uniform, hands passing over the creaseless fabric. “The use of claws and teeth requires taking the risks that come with of close combat. It simply…is not as common.” As Kray lectured, Galo found a nervous sweat had broken across his brow. His nerves still hadn’t settled for whatever reason, his muscles tensed. 

Kray took a glance down at his watch, before looking back to Galo. “Goodness, I’m afraid I must be going.” Kray gave Galo’s shoulder one more reaffirming pat before stepping away. The large man paused though, Galo’s eyes glued to his back as the Governor stood silent for a moment before speaking. “You are incredibly lucky, Galo. Many do not live to face a Burnish in the manner that you did, let alone escape such an encounter.” 

Galo couldn’t agree more. Finally, something Kray said made sense. “If you think I look bad, you should have been there to see the Burnish.” His unease was gradually fading, and instead, his chest puffed out with pride as he continued, “Just ‘cus I’m the one in the hospital with these nasty bites and scratches doesn’t mean I didn’t give it a few in return.” 

Something flickered across Kray’s expression, a passing shadow of emotion Galo couldn’t quite name because the man was still partially turned away. It was gone in an instant as if never there to begin with. 

“Oh…trust me, Galo…” Kray spoke evenly as he walked to the door to take his leave. 

“I wish I did.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading! I don't imagine this will be a super long story, but it grew past the initial two chapters I planned ^^;


	3. Heating Embers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galo is unaware of forces that surround him, but soon things will become clear. In the meantime, he has another encounter that further cement his doubts about the Burnish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: There is an instance of physical minor abuse in this chapter. It is brief but I wanted to give a clear warning because I know that imagery may be distrestting to some.

Four weeks paid leave from Burning Rescue. The entire conversation with Ignis had soured Galo’s mood because he knew he had no grounds to argue against it. Four weeks to recuperate, to let his body have a chance at pulling itself back together before he threw it into the flames again. He had been discharged from the hospital with his arm in a sling and a lengthy medical prescription for two over the counter pain pills, a round of antibiotics for his immune system, and an anti-inflammatory cream. All the medication thankfully fell under the Foresight Pharmaceutical label, so paying was a non-issue. The Governor has passed an initiative that finically covered emergency responders when medicinal prescriptions were required. Galo was extremely grateful for that- his budget wasn’t exactly the lion’s share so he’d have to say thanks to Kray next time he saw the public official. 

The Governor’s first and only visit to Galo while he was laid up in the hospital briefly came to mind, the memory of Kray looking over his wounds becoming more prominent. The Gov typically wasn’t a super touchy guy, but it was incredibly clear he was worried about Galo’s injuries. He’d have to drop in and visit to show Kray that he was on the mend and he’d be back on his feet kicking ass in no time. But for now...

Galo groaned in frustration, trying to handle an XXL-large pizza box with his left hand, the other limp in its sling. The irritating urge to just use his right-hand doctor’s orders be damned flashed through him, but he quelled the urge and abstained. He hadn’t broken a single bone in his arm somehow, but multiple muscle tears along with a dislocated shoulder and a sprained wrist meant that moving the limb at all wasn’t the best idea. Galo hissed between his teeth and he tried to get leverage on the box by using his midsection to press against the box while using his left hand to attempt to grab the other end, but it simply wasn’t working out for him. The width of the obscenely large pizza was longer than the span of his arm, and it was going to be impossible to carry back to his apartment at this rate if he couldn’t even pick it up-

A merciful employee shuffled to his side, the man grabbing Galo’s pizza with two uninjured, perfectly functional hands- he wasn’t jealous at all- and forced his own good hand underneath the box. Galo gaped at the obvious solution, he had been so caught up in his shortcomings that he didn’t think through the problem logically. The pain killers were no joke, doc’s orders were to take the medication twice a day for the first week but he hated how fuzzy it made simple details that shouldn’t even take a fragment of thought to puzzle out. Luckily there were kind and patient people in the world, and Galo’s heart swelled with the sentiment that even though not everyone could be an absolutely legendary figure like Kray, there were still countless individuals who would always lend a hand to those who needed help. A thankful grin split his face, which was returned via a small and flustered smile from the lanky pizzeria guy. 

With his lunch secured and his mood significantly lifted, Galo exited the shop with a grin plastered to his face. He had made a point to get out of the apartment instead of just calling in delivery, he had been in some dire need of fresh air. The thought of his home caused a series of memories to rise to the surface, drifting through his mind as he walked. Before he applied for Burning Rescue Galo had found himself a cozy place within central Promepolis, the daunting monthly rent waved away by Governor Foresight himself. At first, he had opposed it, unable to accept such a generous act but a warm smile and the man he admired followed by Kray attesting covering Galo’s rent was for that it was the least he could do to support such a promising hero in the making. Those words had burned their way into his mind, melting away his reluctance and made it easy to simply say yes. Secretly, Galo had dreamed of saving up enough to pay Kray back, even if the bills weren’t so much as making a dent in Foresight’s bank account. 

That had been years ago...after becoming a firefighter Galo found himself sleeping at the station more often than not- emergencies didn’t exactly wait for conventional shift hours. Even when he was technically off the clock he preferred sticking to where his coworkers were, they had become family to him. His actual living situation was nice, but it couldn’t beat pestering Remi while he attempted to do a crossword or watching movies late into the evening with Varys. Galo thrived in ways previously unknown to him when he was at the center of the action with his team, and it was hard to let go of that even for a few odd hours alone at his apartment. 

But now due to his medical leave, Galo had no excuses to hang about the station. With no shift to show up for and a full docket of getting plenty of rest and not overexerting himself physically, Galo’s typical schedule didn’t quite apply. He didn’t like languishing about the apartment, but alternatives were slim. He was frustrated, but the budding ache in his shoulders and neck just from his afternoon stroll were enough to remind him that maybe it was a good thing he wasn’t in the field today. Galo rolled his shoulders slowly, trying to work through the twinge of pain. He’d have to take another dose of the pain meds once he got back home. 

The streets of Promepolis were bustling with activity, the slow crawl of city traffic outpaced by the people-packed sidewalks. The sounds of car horns punctuated the uniform murmur of countless people going about their day. Galo was content to keep his thoughts as he walked, but he was distinctly aware of the occasional gaze lingering on him. At first, he wondered if it was because of his sling and bandages, but that wasn’t necessarily odd. Mild discomfort squirmed in the pit of his stomach as he accidentally matched gazes with one of the pedestrians who was openly staring at him. Galo was hardly self-conscious, but the entire situation struck him odd. There were no discernible qualities that any of the gawkers shared, and it wasn’t like everyone was staring at him. Maybe it was just the large pizza box he was carrying that was catching the occasional passing stranger’s attention. Deciding to attribute the strange looks and occasional curious glance he received to that and nothing more, Galo refused to let it get under his skin. 

Casting his concern aside, Galo continued his walk without worrying himself further. The crowds of people gradually began to thin after he took a turn off the main thoroughfare, entering a more residential area. There was no break in the glistening tall buildings characteristic of Promepolis, the towering white elegant architecture of the city uniform throughout nearly every inch of the sprawling metropolis. Some of the spires were shorter the further they were constructed from the city center, but all were dwarfed by the colossal spire that was the Foresight Foundation HQ. Galo had grown so accustomed to the building that pierced the heavens it hardly registered on the skyline- it was part of the scenery. His attention lazily set on the distant tower as he walked, legs propelling him forward fully on instinct. 

The further he walked, the quieter the streets became. It was impossible to fully escape the sounds of the city, but Galo found peace in the hush of the wind blowing and the sounds of his footsteps on the pavement. Galo’s absentminded ambling was abruptly brought to a halt by a hand grabbing at the back of his shirt, fingers tightly fisting the black fabric. Galo was already startled, but a forceful yank that sent him backpedaling made the man grunt in surprise. The pizza box toppled from his grip and fell to the concrete with a dull thump, Galo unable to maintain his balance as he was dragged backward several steps further. The warm sunlight of the afternoon was quickly sniffed by the shade of an alley, prompting Galo to turn on his heel to face the unknown threat. 

The last thing he expected was what stood before him, or more accurately- who. It was a young girl, couldn’t be older than fourteen if Galo had to guess. Her hair was pulled back but it still stood on end in a crumpled mess, her dirty clothes in a similar state. The girl’s hands were still outstretched to him, the sight of her damaged wrists making Galo’s heart stop. Deep purple, nearly black fresh bruises enriched the span of her arms. Her knees were also scuffed, the fabric of her pants torn and frayed and the exposed skin bodied from what must have been an awful fall, or something worse. Every iota of Galo’s being that was devoted to being an emergency responder screamed at him to try and help her, but he was frozen solid in shock. This was a child, what the hell had happened?

“I couldn’t find them…any of them…” She murmured, voice small and frail. “I tried to find big brother Meis but he was gone too…” The girl hiccuped, rubbing her eyes with balled-up fists. Galo felt nauseated, her cries only making his unease grow. The girl suddenly charged forward, throwing frail arms around his midsection and hiding her face in his chest. The sobs were muffled, but Galo was more focused on the frigid temperature the terrified kid was emitting. She was freezing, and obviously separated from her family and scared witless. 

Galo eased himself to his knees, trying to get to eye level with the shivering kid. His firefighter instincts were finally catching up, he couldn’t slip up when a citizen needed help. He was winding up to try and talk the other through exactly how she got separated from her family but was interrupted by the girl’s weak voice peeping at him. “You know him…” Galo balked, unsure what to say in response. “You can take me to Lio!” Her voice was still fragile but dawning joy permeated the excited exclamation. Lio…Galo didn’t know anyone by that name, and it just made him feel all the worse that the child must’ve been so disoriented she had him mistaken for someone else entirely. 

Galo smiled sadly, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay.” He spoke softly, slowly- the worst thing one could feel on top of being scared was being alone, he knew from personal experience. Galo was going to do his damndest to try and deescalate the situation slightly before getting in touch with the authorities, and whatever comfort he could offer was the least he could do. “We’re going to get help,” Galo explained while reaching for his phone with his good hand. “Is there anyone we can call first to let them know you’re okay? Like the brother you mentioned?” He tried to suggest but was met with no immediate response. 

The girl stared at him, teary eyes wide with confusion. Galo felt the urge to shrink back into himself, the intense stare he was on the receiving end utterly piercing. Unabashed, shocked disbelief. That was the expression the kid’s face morphed into. “But-” She protested, searing eyes frantic as fresh tears began to build. Whatever rebuttal she had was cut off by the ear-piercing sound of metal colliding with stone, the seismic jolt of the impact nearly sending Galo to the ground. A terrified scream from the girl was what spurred Galo to his feet in an instant, leaping to put himself between her and the cloud of debris that obscured the other end of the alley. 

The sensation of something rushing at him cut through the haze, Galo barely dodging a massive fist that had been on a collision course with his face. The sound of metal pulling against itself as the extended limb was telling enough that the other was wearing an augmented bodysuit, but only one agency had that particular tech aside from Burning Rescue-

“Brat, move it or lose it!” The awful but familiar jeering voice of Freeze Force captain Vulcan Haestus confirmed Galo’s assumptions before another wild swing came. Galo skidded back to avoid the blow, but in the process backed himself against a solid wall. With nowhere to go, the next crashing blow that Vulcan dished out caught him in the ribs, the cruel strike made Galo double over. The captain’s fist didn’t wind up for another blow, but instead pressed into Galo’s sternum and pinned him against the wall. His right arm in its sling hung utterly useless, but he put his left arm to use trying to push the mechanical fist to the side so he could slip away. 

“What the hell!” Galo shouted, but his collapsed lungs refused to carry the angry accusation and he wheezed weakly. The face of Vulcan finally came into view, looming over the firefighter. Galo fully expected to see the Freeze Force leader’s sneering face, but the uncharacteristic frown made his skin crawl. “There’s a civilian that needs help, what are you doing crashing down like this?” Galo managed to growl despite the pressure on his chest making his head feel light and airy. Vulcan narrowed his eyes, face contorted in a silent snarl as he glared at Galo. 

“You really bought it, huh?” Vulcan finally speaks, using his free hand to gesture to the frightened girl who was looking at each direction only to see more Freeze Force soldiers blocked both paths. “Figures an idiot like you could be tricked by a fuckin’ kid” Galo grit his teeth, blood surging to a raging boil within his veins. Vulcan always managed to crack through Galo’s sympathetic and warm-hearted temperament and bring out red hot anger that refused to be pushed down and ignored. 

Vulcan motioned with his arm to his squadron, and the armored force began to advance on the cornered girl. Galo was once more locked with her gaze, her horror-struck expression turned to him now, expectantly looking to him for help. Galo felt her anguish, every last drop of it fill his bones, an uncompromising jolt of intangible emotion that couldn’t be put into words “Ya need to learn a thing or two-“ Vulcan lectures, head cocking to cast a sidelong glance at the child. “So sit back and watch while the professionals do the real work!”

With the captain’s reverberating shout, one of the armored officers took a step forward with his weapon drawn. For a fleeting second Galo misidentifies the firearm trained on the girl as an actual gun, the sight of the handgun shaped weapon registering in his mind as a distinctly different threat than what he ought to have known. His mind was still reeling from the bodily shock of being slammed against the wall, by no means aided in the fact that the pain of each and every healing wound stung as his pain ignited anew. The sound of the weapon cocking seemed to ring in Galo’s ears, and the terrified girl’s pale complexion turned an ashen, sickened grey. 

What occurred next happened in such quick succession, Galo would never be able to say what exactly happened and what order it incurred in with complete and total certainty. Galo, in a surge of sudden strength, forced Vulcan’s fist off of him and charged forward. Before he could even cross half the span of the alley before a blinding light erupted, faltering Galo’s heroic charge into a clumsy stumble. His eyes stung, but the sound of the Freeze Force officers shouting forced him to blink rapidly and force himself to look at what was unfolding. With the sound of Foresight tech firing and the crackle of freezing agent being exposed to the air, the situation became suddenly illuminated to Galo. It wasn’t a regular girl…

Vulcan hauled him off his knees by the back of shirt, Galo not even fully aware that he had sunk to the floor after the blinding flash. “Mongrel couldn’t even fully ignite, ‘cus she was already running too cold on account of being hit earlier. Did you see that pathetic attempt at firing up? Just a spark of light.” The captain sneered, a heinous grin splitting his face while looking upon the scene, and Galo followed his gaze. The girl who had begged for his help under some pretense of ‘knowing him’ was now on the ground, wrists and ankles encased in the crystalline ice used to detain the Burnish. “She gave us the slip after we took down a whole infestation of em in a vacant highrise under construction midtown-” Vulcan continued, leaving Galo’s side walk to the tiny form of the Burnish kid. Galo felt his stomach turn as Vulcan used the iron toe of his boot to force the Burnish off her side and onto her back by jabbing her stomach. “-Couldn’t get too far though, not without one of the strong ones ‘round to save their whelps.” 

Galo felt ill, the toll of overexerting himself making his sense of up and down warp beyond recognition. The sensation of vertigo paired with the proxy borne fear for the girl made his mind spin. Burnish were often caught after violent, explosive episodes that outed their presence, it was so hard to believe that this kid could have been capable of that. None of it added up, and Galo felt the gravitas of how deeply wrong this picture was. 

“Stop it.” Galo growled from the pit of his chest, the hollow where all his fear resided in a wellspring. He drew from it deeply, standing firm despite the way his legs trembled, threatening to buckle. Hardly cutting an imposing figure before Vulcan, but he refused to back down. When no response came, Vulcan still amusing himself with the terrified pleas of the prisoner Galo’s temper broke. “I said stop it!” He bellowed, which finally got a irked glance from the Freeze Force captain.

The man grunted something to one of the armored personnel before striding forward to meet Galo. “What is it, punk? Got something to say?” Vulcan’s amusement was thinly veiled, honest hostility undercutting each word the massive man spat. 

Galo grit his teeth, eyes searing with newfound hatred. “Yeah, I do!” He shouted, clenching his left fist. “You’re detaining a child like they’re some terrorist, you don’t see anything wrong with that?” The firefighter seethed, he had encountered the Freeze Force and their infuriating captain on a few occasions. But Ignis had always done the talking- and Galo had never witnessed something so awful in those prior instances either. When Vulcan only laughed at his exclamation, Galo snarled, “I’ll call Kray Foresight.” The volatile threat flew from his mouth without thought, a venture that in his mind couldn’t be opposed.

Vulan stared at him, struck silent for a beat. Galo had almost felt triumphant in that fleeting moment, that he was on the side of justice and that he would naturally win out. His resolve took a serious blow when a new round of rancorous laughter burst from Vulcan, the man doubling at the waist as his massive metal frame shook with every ugly chortle. When the captain finally took a steadying breath, a twisted smile that was all teeth morphing Vulcan’s face into something terrifying in it’s own right. 

“Oh you’re funny, kid.” The captain drawled, drawing out each word. “Run back crying to daddy and ask…” Vulcan made a motion with his hand and two of the officers grabbed the girl, dragging her by her binds to a Freeze Force truck that was parked at the mouth of the alley. “-If he’d have mercy on a Burnish who nearly scorched three of my men to death.” Vulcan continued as his eyes remained pinned on the back of the apprehended Burnish, resentment and disgust playing clearly across his face. “Convince Foresight and I’ll let her go.” Vulcan hooked his metal finger under Galo’s chin, forcing the man to stare upwards. “I’m sure you can be very persuasive.”

Galo flinched away but Vulcan was already pushing past him, following in the procession of his team. “What the hell is the catch then?” He demanded, still rooted to the spot. His legs felt far too weak to chase after the man and instigate yet another conflict.

Vulcan regards him with an assessing gaze, before a clear decision was reached. “All perks mentioned before, but that’s if you succeed.” Galo felt the captain leering at him, the man pausing as he savored what he was about to propose. “But if you can’t cut it with the Governor, hmm..” Vulcan pretended to deliberate, eyes closing in deep concentration. Galo found it impossible to even humor the act while the Burnish was further restrained and shoved into a containment cage behind Vulcan. “You will be credited for the apprehension. Full fanfare too, gotta celebrate right? And of course, you’ll have full honors of putting the thing down if it comes to that.” 

Galo had no room to negotiate as Vulcan crammed himself into the vehicle, shooting Galo a silent, mocking sneer before the truck sped off. Alone in the settling debris, the only tell tale sign of what occurred was the few remaining ice fractals that drifted through the air, falling to the pavement only to melt. Galo had to get to Kray’s, and quickly. 

He would help Galo see that justice was exacted.


End file.
